1. In a pot, bring the rice and water to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer 45 minutes. 2. In a separate pot, bring the broth to a boil. Stir in the tomatoes, seitan, cauliflower, carrots, green beans, and green onions. Reduce heat to low, and simmer 10 minutes, or until vegetables are tender. Season with celery salt, and serve in bowls over the cooked rice.

Brown turkey in a little broth in a large pot. Separately, saute onion, pepper, and garlic in more broth. Add all ingredients together. Simmer 1/2-1 hr.Dan's note: this is not spicy at all. Also, instead of 2 cans of chunky tomato sauce, I've used 2 cans of diced tomatoes. Or I've just left out the tomatoes, that works too. I think I left out the chicken broth too.Source: Mom

Three-Cup ChickenThis is a traditional Taiwanese dish that we always order in our favorite Chinese restaurant. I begged the chef for this recipe and he very reluctantly gave it to me! I just made it for dinner tonight and couldn't wait to post this to share it with all of you!1/3 cup sesame oil20 garlic cloves, minced (yes, twenty!)10 slices thin fresh ginger2 serrano peppers, thinly sliced with seeds2 lbs chicken breasts or chicken thigh pieces, cut up into bite-size pieces1/3 cup soy sauce1/3 cup rice wine3 tablespoons sugar2 cups Thai basil1 cup of 1-inch sections scallions

1. Heat up the sesame oil in a wok or a large skillet on high heat. 2. Add garlic, ginger and serrano peppers, stir fry until fragrant, about 2 minutes. 3. Add the chicken pieces and cook until it's white in color, about 5 minutes. 4. Stir together the soy sauce, rice wine and sugar in a bowl, pour over chicken. 5. Bring to a boil, then turn down the heat to medium. 6. Let cook, uncovered, until sauce thickens, about 30 minutes. 7. Turn heat back up to high and add basil and scallions, cook for another 2 minutes. 8. Serve over steamed rice.

Dan's notes: also works with tofu and tempeh (particularly good with tempeh). Maybe a little too sweet. Reduce the sugar a bit and it's great. Fast too.

Mix first 7 ingredients in jar, shake until smooth.Heat wok over high heat until a drop of water evaporates within 1-2 seconds of contact. Add 2 tbsp oil. When oil begins to smoke, add ginger and garlic, and stir-fry 5 seconds, then add scallions and stir-fry 30 seconds. Add chicken, stir-fry 30 seconds. Add rest of vegetables and stir-fry until softened, 3-5 minutes.Shake broth mixture, pour into wok and stir-fry until sauce is slightly thickened, about 2 minutes. Return mixture just to a boil, top with cashews, toss and serve.

Heat oven to 425. In small bowl stir together all ingredients except pork to make 1/4 cup. Season tenderloin with 2 tbsp. of rub. Place meat in shallow pan, roast 35 minutes or 155 degrees. Let stand 5 min. and slice.

Ninety-five percent of the time when we have enchiladas, it is my mom's (amazingly good, incredibly awesome) cheese enchiladas. Once in a while however, she'll make chicken enchiladas. With chicken enchiladas she often uses a red chili sauce which is spicier than the green chiles of the cheese enchiladas. Sometimes she uses canned enchiladas sauce, sometimes she makes it from scratch. Sometimes she coats the tortillas in sauce before cooking them, sometimes she doesn't. Every time she cooks it is an improvisation, so it can be difficult to pin her down on any one method or another. I've presented here her basic methods, with the variations.

1 small onion, chopped (about a cup)Vegetable oil - grapeseed or olive2 small cloves garlic, minced1 14.5-ounce can tomatoes, preferably fire-roasted if you can get it2 Tbsp red chili powder1 teaspoon sugar1/2 cup to a cup of water

12 corn tortillasGrapeseed oil, peanut oil or canola oil - a high smoke point vegetable oil such as one of these

2 Prepare the sauce. Coat a large skillet with oil and sauté the onions on medium heat until translucent, a few minutes. Add the garlic for a minute more. While the onions are cooking, purée the canned tomatoes in a blender. Add the tomatoes to the onions and garlic. Bring to a low simmer. Start adding the chili powder, one teaspoon at a time, tasting after each addition, until you get to the desired level of heat and chili flavor. For us that's around 2 Tablespoons. But it depends on your taste and how strong the chili powder is that you are using. Note that the tortillas and chicken will absorb some of the heat, so allow for that and let it be a little bit spicier than what you want in the finished dish. Add a teaspoon of sugar if necessary to cut down on the acid from the tomatoes. You want more of the taste of the chili and less of the tomatoes for this sauce. As the sauce simmers, dilute it with water to keep it from getting to thick as it simmers. Remove from heat.

Alternatively, use a prepared canned enchilada sauce, which can be perfectly fine.

3 Mix in 1/4 cup of the sauce with the cooked chicken, and a 1/4 cup of the cheese. Sprinkle with a little salt. Set aside.

4 Prepare the tortillas. There are 2 basic ways to prepare the tortillas - the traditional way of dipping them in the sauce and heating them individually, and my mom's way when she is trying to cut down on the fat.

First the traditional way. Heat a small light skillet on med-high heat. Add a teaspoon of oil (high smoke point oil as indicated above, we use grapeseed oil) to coat the pan. Dip a tortilla in the sauce to coat the tortilla with sauce on both sides. Place the tortilla in the skillet and heat for a few seconds, until the tortilla begin to show some air bubbles. Use a metal spatula to flip to the other side for a few more seconds. Set aside on a plate. Repeat with remaining tortillas. Proceed to the step 5.

For my mom's low-fat method of heating up the tortillas, she places a small amount of oil in the skillet to coat the pan. Add a tortilla, flip it to its other side. Then add another tortilla on top of the first to soak up some of the excess oil. Flip them both together and add yet another tortilla. Keep adding them wherever there seems to be some excess oil. The idea is to heat the tortillas and soften them with the minimum amount of oil. As the tortillas become soft and heated, remove them to a paper towel to soak up even more excess oil. If you find you need more oil in the pan, add it. With this method, you do NOT get the chili flavor infused in the tortillas. It is a matter of preference. I prefer the first method, excess oil or not, because it has a much richer and spicier flavor. But as my mom says, "Anything goes. This is just a guideline; do what you want."

Note that because we made this batch the low-fat way, the following photos show tortillas not coated in chili sauce, but the method is the same for if you did.

5 Assemble the enchiladas. Use an 8x12 inch pyrex baking dish. Place a couple spoonfuls of the chicken mixture in the center of a tortilla and roll it up. Place in the baking dish and repeat until all dozen of your tortillas are neatly placed in rows in the casserole dish. Cover the tortillas rolls with the remaining sauce.

Sprinkle with the remaining grated cheese. Note that I recall often eating these chicken enchiladas with very little cheese on them. Instead we had probably 2/3 cup of chopped fresh onion that had been soaked in vinegar sprinkled over the top. (My mom, bless her soul, has no recollection of the chicken enchiladas without the sprinkled cheese. But she's in her 70s and sometimes doesn't remember these things. Or she remembers later and doesn't remember that she ever forgot them in the first place. But heck, I'm in my 40s and my memory isn't what it used to be either.)

6 Place in the oven and cook for 10 minutes, or until cheese is bubbly.

Use a metal spatula to serve.

Serve with thinly sliced iceberg lettuce that has been seasoned with vinegar and salt (no oil), guacamole or avocado slices, and sour cream. Garnish with cilantro.

Serves 4.

Dan's notes: Make more sauce- maybe double the recipe. The first way of frying the tortillas is easier.

My old neighborhood in San Francisco used to have a fabulous Hungarian restaurant where I loved to go for pork stuffed cabbage rolls. The restaurant has since gone out of business, but my love for the dish remains. We made these cabbage rolls again this weekend, for Some Pig Blogging Weekend, a food blogging event in honor of San Antonio Abate, the Patron Saint of farmyard animals, who's feast day is January 17th.

1 Wash the sauerkraut in cold water, then soak in cold water 10-20 minutes to reduce sourness. (Make sure you don't skip this step!) Squeeze dry and set aside. In a large saucepan, bring to a boil enough salted water to cover the cabbage. Add the cabbage, turn the heat to low and simmer 8 minutes. Remove the cabbage and let it drain while it cools enough to handle. Pull off 16 large unbroken leaves and lay them on paper towels to drain and cool further.

2 In a 10-inch skillet, saute the onions and garlic in olive oil, until the onions are lightly colored. In a large mixing bowl, combine the pork, rice, eggs, paprika, marjoram, the onion-garlic mixture, salt and a few grindings of black pepper. Mix well with a fork or wooden spoon.

3 Place 2 tablespoons of the stuffing in the center of one of the wilted cabbage leaves and, beginning with the thick end of the leaf, fold over the sides, then roll the whole leaf tightly, as you would a small bundle. Repeat with more leaves until all the stuffing has been used.

4 Spread the sauerkraut on the bottom of a 5-quart casserole and arrange the cabbage rolls on top of it. Add the water mixed with the tomato puree. Bring the liquid to a boil, then cover the pan tightly and cook the stuffed cabbage over low heat for 1 hour. Transfer the rolls from the casserole to a warm plate. Stir in the sour cream to the sauerkraut. Simmer another 5 minutes. Lift the sauerkraut onto a serving platter with a slotted spoon. Arrange the cabbage rolls on the sauerkraut and pour some of the sauce over them. Serve the rest of the sauce in a sauceboat.

Serves 4-6.

Dan's note: The sour cream is unnecessary. It can be hard to get enough big enough cabbage leaves, so make sure to put a big spoonful in each one. Other than that, I'm a fan.

This is the most delicious Greek moussaka recipe that I have come across, and being Greek born I have tryed many different recipes over the years. I make this often, it is a family favorite at my house, I have even served this many times to guests for a dinner party, everyone loves it, I hope you enjoy it as much as we do!2 medium eggplantsvegetable oil1 lb lean ground beef2 medium onions, peeled and chopped1 tablespoon fresh minced garlic (or more if desired)1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce1 tsp dried oregano (or to taste)1 tsp salt, divided (or to taste)black pepper2-3 tbsp butter or margarine2 tbsp flour1 cup half-and-half cream1 egg1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese (can use more)

1. Peel the eggplants, slice 1/4-inch thick. 2. Brush cookie sheet with oil. 3. Coat each side of sliced eggplant with oil; place on cookie sheet; broil under the broiler until brown; turn and broil the other side, brushing with oil if needed; repeat with all eggplant slices. 4. In the bottom of a greased 9 x 9-inch baking pan, arrange half of the eggplant slices. 5. In a large skillet, combine beef and onions; cook, stirring until the beef is no longer pink, and the onions are soft; drain fat. 6. Add in the garlic, tomato sauce, oregano, 1/2 tsp salt and pepper to taste; pour mixture over eggplant slices. 7. Arrange the remaining eggplant slices over the beef mixture. 8. PREPARE THE CHEESE SAUCE: Melt the butter in a saucepan, whisk in flour, 1/2 tsp salt and pepper to taste; gradually stir in half and half or milk, cook and stir over medium heat until thick and bubbly. 9. In a small bowl, beat egg; stir in some of the hot sauce, then add egg to sauce mixture, mix well; add in Parmesan cheese, and stir again. 10. Pour the cheese sauce over mixture in baking dish. 11. Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven, for 45 minutes. 12. Cut into squares. 13. Note: If doubling this recipe (to serve 8), it is best to make two separate casseroles, instead of one larger one.

In a heavy stockpot, heat the olive oil and saute the onion, garlic, potatoes, carrots, and cardamom. Stir until fragrant, then add the zucchini, yellow squash, and cauliflower. Add curry powder, salt, black pepper, and cayenne and stir. Drain the raisins and add to the pot along with the tomatoes, tomato sauce, honey, and garbanzo beans. Cover and simmer for 30 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender, adding up to 1 cup of water if the stew appears dry.While the stew is cooking, bring the water to a boil in a saucepan and stir in the couscous. Cook for 1 minute, then cover and turn off the heat, letting the couscous sit for 10 minutes. After the couscous has sat for 5 minutes, stir the figs and almonds into the stew.To serve, fluff up the couscous with a fork. Spoon a mound of couscous on each plate and form a well in the center. Ladle a portion of stew into the well. Garnish with several tablespoons of the yogurt and fresh mint. Serve the remaining yogurt on the side.

NOTES : The Jump Up and Kiss Me Spicy Vegetarian Cooking by Jennifer Trainer Thompson was called to the attention of the Food/Wine group by Brenda Adams. Thanks Brenda, it's a wonderful cookbook published by Ten Speed Press of Berkeley, CA.

Serves 6 to 8Moroccan food is startlingly aromatic. Perfumed with the fragrance of cardamom and accented with the sweetness of currants, one bite of this spicy stew will have you thinking you've just arrived in the city of Fez for a culinary adventure. It's delicious served with Fennel Salad

Dan's notes: Good stew! It's perfect amount of spicy, and the figs make it the perfect amount of sweet. The mint and yogurt really add something too.

The good folks at Niman Ranch recently sent me a few lamb recipes to try from their new cookbook, the Niman Ranch Cookbook. Being huge meat loaf fans, we were immediately drawn to the Moroccan Meat Loaf recipe from Chef Monica Pope, of T'Afia in Houston, Texas. If you like lamb, you will love this Moroccan meat loaf. If you don't like lamb, I'm willing to bet this meat loaf will convert you. It is superb - spicy, with hints of cilantro and mint. The recipe calls for a pomegranate barbecue sauce to accompany the meat loaf. We made the sauce, which is excellent, but honestly, the next time we make this we'll skip the sauce. It's just unnecessary. Its own spiciness almost competes with the flavors of the meatloaf. I've included the recipe below, but you really don't need it. Plain ketchup will do, if you have to have ketchup with your meatloaf, but just the drippings themselves are sufficient and delicious.

The original recipe calls for 1/4 teaspoon of saffron threads to go along with the other spices. I don't like saffron (everyone has their preferences when it comes to food, and I have mine), so we kept it out. It is not in the following recipe listed, but feel free to put it back in there if you want to follow the recipe as its author intended.

1 Preheat the oven to 350°F. Combine the lamb and beef in a large bowl. Set aside.

2 Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion, carrot, celery, garlic, and ginger and cook for about 5 minutes, or until the onion is translucent. Add the salt, paprika, cumin, curry powder, cayenne, cinnamon, and pepper. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes to release the flavors. Remove from heat and let cool for 10-15 minutes.

3 Stir the vegetables into the ground meat. Mix in the bread crumbs, eggs, cilantro, and mint. Transfer to a 1 1/2 quart loaf pan and set in a baking pan. Pour water into the baking pan to reach halfway up the sides of the loaf pan.

4 Bake the meat loaf for 1 1/2 hours, or until firm and cooked through. Let rest for 10 to 15 minutes. Unmold onto a plate and slice. Serve with optional Pomegranate BBQ sauce, ketchup, or just the drippings from the meatloaf itself. Very good served with rice pilaf.

Serves 6-8.

Dan's note: This is great! I made it with parsley instead of cilantro, and 3 lb ground beef instead of 1 lb beef and 2 lb lamb. Tastes vaguely middle eastern- I don't know if it's Moroccan style. But it is tasty.

A month ago or so I bought a tagine, an earthenware cooking and serving pot, with which to experiment. My first foray into cooking with the tagine was with this Moroccan chicken dish which turned out beautifully - succulent, tender, and full of flavor. This recipe is pulled together and adapted from various sources including the New York Times, The New Basics Cookbook, and recipes by Le Souk Ceramique, the maker of my tagine. Preserved lemon is traditionally called for in this dish, although I know of people who just add thin slices of lemon and don't bother with finding or making preserved lemon.

1 Combine all the spices in a large bowl. Pat dry the chicken pieces and put in the bowl, coat well with the spice mixture. Let the chicken stand for one hour in the spices.

2 In a large, heavy bottomed skillet, heat the olive oil on medium high heat. Add the chicken pieces, sprinkle lightly with salt (go easy on the salt, the olives and lemons are salty), and brown, skin side down for five minutes. (If you are using a clay tagine, you will skip the browning step, heat only to medium heat and use a heat diffuser on the heating element to prevent the tagine from cracking.) Lower the heat to medium-low, add the garlic and onions. Cover and let cook for 15 minutes.

3 Turn chicken pieces over. Add the lemon slices, olives, raisins, and 1/2 cup water. Bring to a simmer on medium heat, then lower the heat to low, cover, and cook for an additional 30 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through and quite tender.

4 Mix in fresh parsley and cilantro right before serving. Adjust seasonings to taste.

Serves 4 to 6. Serve with couscous, rice, or rice pilaf.

Dan's notes: Needs flavor. "Marinate" in the spices for at least an hour. I made it with boneless chicken breasts, maybe the dark meat is better. I used lemon rind, too- grate it so you don't get a big chunk of lemon rind.

Cuban in origin, I have adapted this sauce to be used in combination with your favorite meat and vegetable combinations. You can make a large batch of this sauce and whip up a market basket stir fry, using the best fresh local seasonal ingredients.

Mix all sauce ingredients in a quart-size mason jar with lid. Can be stored in refrigerator for up to one month.Prepare meat and vegetables. Heat a wok until very hot. Add half the oil, fry meat, remove from pan when browned. Add remaining oil. Reheat pan, add garlic and vegetables. Stir fry a few minutes, then add chili powder. When vegetables are tender and crisp, add meat. Shake up sauce and pur in enough to coat the meat and vegetables. Heat to thicken, serve with rice, cuban flat bread, and hot sauce.

Dan's note: very good. I might go a little easier on the orange juice in the sauce- it gets a little thin and citrusy.

"Have I got the best recipe for you!" my friend Tomas announced, upon his return from a recent trip to photographing vineyards in Italy. "It's an Irish beef stew," he added, "and it's the best thing I've ever had." Apparently the chef at one of the wineries Tom was visiting prepared this stew for Tom, based on a Bon Appetit recipe, with the main difference being the substitution of Guinness (a very dark beer) and excellent red wine for some of the beef stock the recipe called for. Always eager to try new recipes with friends, I made my way to Tom's house and we cooked this up together for his family. As I suspected, the addition of Guinness and red wine makes all the difference.

2 While the meet and stock is simmering, melt butter in another large pot over medium heat. Add potatoes, onion and carrots. Sauté vegetables until golden, about 20 minutes.

3 Add vegetables to beef stew. Simmer uncovered until vegetables and beef are very tender, about 40 minutes. Discard bay leaves. Tilt pan and spoon off fat. Transfer stew to serving bowl. Sprinkle with parsley and serve. (Can be prepared up to 2 days ahead. Salt and pepper to taste. Cool slightly. Refrigerate uncovered until cold, then cover and refrigerate. Bring to simmer before serving.)

Heat the fat in (what else) a Dutch oven or crock pot until brown.Sear the meat on both sides til brown. Add water to just cover the meatand simmer (covered) for approximately one (1) hour.Add carrots, onions and potatoes. Season with salt and pepper.Cover and simmer for about an hour more. Add the Dutch sausage on topduring the last 15 minutes of cooking. Remove the meat and veggies;if there is enough liquid left, make gravy. Mash the vegetablestogether and put on plates. Put meat and sausage slices on top andserve with gravy. (Serves four to six)

1/2 each zucchini, cut in long rounds1/2 each yellow squash1/2 each red onion, 1/4 inch rounds1 each bell pepper, in strips12 flour tortillas

Reserve 1/3 marinade for serving. Marinate chicken and vegetables in remaining marinade up to 4 hours ahead of time. Season chicken with cumin and grill until just done, marking both sides. Grill vegetables until done. Slice chicken on a bias. Cut vegetables into strips. Toss with reserved marinade. Serve wrapped in a flour tortilla.

In this recipe adapted from Charmaine Solomon's Complete Asian Cookbook, ground cashews thicken the curry and give it a rich, nutty flavor. Both roasted and raw cashews work well, so use whichever you prefer.

Heat butter in a 5- to 6-quart wide heavy pot over moderately low heat until foam subsides, then cook onions, garlic, and ginger, stirring, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add curry powder, salt, cumin, and cayenne and cook, stirring, 2 minutes. Add chicken and cook, stirring to coat, 3 minutes. Add tomatoes, including juice, and cilantro and bring to a simmer, then cover and simmer gently, stirring occasionally, until chicken is cooked through, about 40 minutes. (If making ahead, see cooks' note, below.)

Just before serving:Pulse cashews in a food processor or electric coffee/spice grinder until very finely ground, then add to curry along with yogurt and simmer gently, uncovered, stirring, until sauce is thickened, about 5 minutes.

Cooks' note:Curry, without yogurt and cashews, can be made 5 days ahead and cooled completely, uncovered, then chilled, covered. Reheat over low heat before stirring in yogurt and ground cashews.

Makes 4 to 6 servings.GourmetJanuary 2005

Dan's note: Excellent. Really good. I used I think 3 large boneless skinless chicken breasts, it was fine.

Melt the butter in a 2-quart saucepan over high heat. Add the tasso and cook until meat starts to brown, about 3 minutes, stirring frequently. Add chicken and continue cooking until chicken is brown, about 3 to 5 minutes, stirring frequently and scraping pan bottom well. Stir in the seasoning mix and 1/2 cup each of the onions, celery, and bell peppers and the garlic. Cook until vegetables start to get tender, about 5 to 8 minutes, stirring fairly constantly and scraping pan bottom as needed. Stir in the tomato sauce and cook about 1 minute, stirring often. Stir in the remaining 1/2 cup each of the onions, celery, and bell peppers and the tomatoes. Remove from heat. Stir in the stock and rice, mixing well. Transfer mixture to an ungreased 8x8-inch baking pan. Bake uncovered in a 350° oven until rice is tender but still a bit crunchy, about 1 hour. Remove from oven. Stir well and remove bay leaves Let sit 5 minutes before serving.

To serve, mold rice in an 8-ounce cup and place 2 cups on each serving plate for a main course or 1 cup for an appetizer.

1. Preheat an outdoor grill for medium high heat, and lightly oil grate. Lightly pound chicken to flatten. Trim excess fat from edges. Brush lightly with olive oil, then season both sides of chicken with salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, oregano and red pepper to taste; set aside 2. In a medium bowl, combine the sun-dried tomatoes, olives, and about 2 1/2 tablespoons oil from the tomatoes. Season with salt and pepper to taste; set aside 3. Place chicken on preheated grill, and cook for 10 to 12 minutes, turning in different directions while cooking to get cross-hatch grill marks. Place cooked chicken on rolls, and top each with a heaping tablespoon of tomato mixture.

"This is an authentic version of Bahamian peas and rice, I am a native of the Bahamas and this is how it was taught to me, hope you enjoy it. Serve with any prepared meat."Original recipe yield: 8 servings.

1. Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion, and fry until transparent. Stir in the green pepper, ham, tomato paste, tomato, bacon, corned beef, and pigeon peas. Season with thyme, salt, and pepper. Bring to a simmer. 2. Stir in the coconut milk, water and browning sauce, and bring to a boil. Stir in the rice. Return to a boil, then stir, cover, and reduce the heat to low. Simmer for about 45 minutes, until rice is tender. Stir occasionally.

Dan's notes: a little bland. Seasoning with cinnamon is nice. Maybe that's because all I know is that coconut milk and cinnamon go together. Where do you get pigeon peas? Also, maybe reduce the water a little bit, by a cup or so, because it was a little watery after the rice was done absorbing.

Directions:In a 4-quart pan, place the veal, water, salt, 4 cloves garlic, and large pieces of the celery, carrot, and onion. Bring to boil and simmer covered for 1 hour. Using a slotted spoon, remove the meat and chill until needed.

Strain the broth, discard the veggies, and wash the pan. Return the broth to the pan and reduce the volume to one cup.

Cook the pasta, drain, and add one tablespoon sesame oil to the noodles and toss to coat. Return noodles to the pot and cover until needed.

In the same 4-quart pan with the broth, add all of the remaining ingredients except the veal, sesame oil, mango, bok choy, and noodles. Stir well and adjust seasoning to your taste. Cover, and simmer for 15 minutes. Add the remaining ingredients except the noodles and toss the bok choy in the hot sauce until it is just wilted. Cover, and heat for a few minutes until the meat and sauce are hot.

Add the noodles to a large pasta serving bowl. Add the finished stew to the pasta and toss well. If desired, garnish with any or all of the above selections. Serves 4-6. Enjoy!

-- A stew featuring a fusion of Thai and Indonesian flavors. The very spicy Indonesian sambal sauce is tempered by a Thai tomato-mango base.

Dan's note: good. A little watery, but not really. If you just add the noodles (I used penne) to the broth, it just makes a big soup. But yeah, all the flavors work together well. And I didn't even have any sesame oil or molasses!

1. Place the shallots, garlic, sambal oelek, nuts, tamarind and turmeric into a blender or food processor and puree. Add a little water if necessary to bring the ingredients together. 2. Heat the oil in a large saucepan or wok over medium high flame. Add the shallot puree and sauté till fragrant, 3-5 minutes. Add the crushed lemongrass and lime leaves and sauté 1-2 minutes more. 3. Add the tempeh, tofu and coconut milk. Season with sugar and salt, reduce heat and simmer until coconut milk has thickened, 15-20 minutes. Serve with rice.

VARIATIONS

* The cubed tofu can be deep-fried first if you like. Pre-fried tofu cubes can be found at many Asian markets. * One medium-sized white onion can be substituted for the shallots. * Use all tofu or all tempeh if you prefer. * Ayam Bumbu Rujak: Use one chicken, about 2 1/2 lbs and cut into serving pieces, in place of the tofu and tempeh. The chicken can be browned first in hot oil if you like. * Telur Bumbu Rujak: Use 6 or 7 hard-boiled eggs in place of the tofu and tempeh.

NOTES

* This simple vegetarian dish uses tempeh, a fermented soybean cake, that is popular in Indonesian cuisine. * The lemongrass, lime leaves and galangal are for seasoning and are not meant to be eaten. They can be removed before serving if you like.http://whats4eats.com/recipes/r_ve_tahutempebumbu.html

Dan's notes: I forgot the galangal. The lemongrass and lime leaves made it very lemoney, and that wasn't so good; I'd cut down the lemongrass.It is good with one stalk of lemongrass and only a couple lime leaves, and all tofu, no tempeh.

1. Toss cucumbers and 1 tsp. of the salt in a colander and set aside to drain for 1 hour. Meanwhile, pour oil into a deep skillet to a depth of 1" and heat over medium-high heat until hot but not smoking. Working in 2 batches, fry potatoes, stirring often, until golden and crisp, about 3 minutes. Drain on paper towels. Fry shallots in same oil, stirring often, until deep golden and crisp, 2-3 minutes. Drain on paper towels.

2. Put vinegar, pepper, sugar, and the remaining 1/2 tsp. salt into a medium bowl. Squeeze out excess water from cucumbers, add to bowl, and toss well. Scatter egg whites over cucumbers, then scatter yolks, then potatoes, then shallots on top. Set salad aside at room temperature for 1 hour. Garnish each serving with fried shrimp and melinjo nut chips and serve with Steamed White Rice, if you like.First published in Saveur, March 2002

Dan's notes: nice. Buy raw shrimp chips and fry them, it's awesome, they puff up super-fast. This got greasy, but just because I didn't really know how to fry the potatoes.

1. Heat oil in a large saucepan or wok over medium flame. Stir fry first set of ingredients 2-3 minutes. 2. Add coconut milk and bring to a boil. 3. Add potatoes, carrots, green beans and onions. Lower heat and cover. Simmer till potatoes are almost cooked through, about 10-12 minutes. 4. Remove cover and add cabbage, scallions and salt and pepper. Simmer just till cabbage is tender, about 2-3 minutes. Adjust seasoning and serve.

VARIATIONS

* You can substitute other vegetables if you like, just add the sturdier, longer cooking vegetables first and the more delicate vegetables in the second simmering. This prevents over or undercooking. * Add some cubed tofu or some shrimp with the cabbage and scallions if you like.

NOTES

* This dish is also popular in Malaysia.

Dan's notes: All right, but kind of watery and bland. Might help to add some more flavorings (like cloves/bay leaf). Can't simmer longer, though, because the vegetables will get all soft.

Satay of course is originally an Indonesian/Malay dish, but it has been in Southern Thailand for a very long time. This is a Thai version.

You can of course also make the same recipe with chunks of beef or pork, or large prawns (if you can get the very large ones [3-4 per pound] then they are usually deheaded and the skewer threaded lengthwise down the body.

The chicken is beaten flat, using the flat of the blade of a heavy cleaver (or using a meat-tenderising mallet, or the 'sahk' of the mortar and pestle (i.e. the grinding piece, not the bowl :-) -- in Thailand these are usually granite. You could also use a rolling pin...)

The coriander and cumin are toasted and then crushed in a mortar and pestle or food processor (coffee grinder...) The ingredients are then combined to form a marinade, and the chicken is marinated overnight.

The pieces of chicken are then threaded on the 8" satay sticks, loosely folding them in half and piercing through the folded meat to form a loose gather.

The completed sticks are then grilled, broiled or barbecued on fairly high heat (they taste best done over charcoal, as they absorb the smoke). Turn them regularly and brush them liberally with the remaining marinade. Cooking should take between 5 and 10 minutes depending on the heat of your cooker.

About 60 bamboo skewers, soaked in water for at least 30 minutesTangy Cucumber Pickles

Quick & Easy Thaiby Nancie McDermott from Chronicle Books

This dish looks inviting, tastes fantastic, and is fun to eat. To make in advance, marinate the meat, put the cucumber pickles together, make the sauce, and then cover and chill. Let your first guests skewer the meat and get it grilling while you gently reheat the peanut sauce. This way you will have time to make a quick batch of the traditional satay accompaniment: toast! Thais often serve satay with a side of toast points, the better to enjoy the fabulous peanut sauce.

Combine the coconut milk, fish sauce, brown sugar, and curry powder in a large mixing bowl and stir well. Cut chicken thighs into generous, bite-sized chunks, and cut breast meat lengthwise into 1/2-inch strips. Add the meat to the marinade and mix well. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or as long as overnight.

To prepare the peanut sauce, bring the coconut milk to a gentle boil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the curry paste and roasted chili paste and cook 4 to 5 minutes, mashing and stirring occasionally to dissolve them. Add the chicken broth, fish sauce, palm sugar, peanut butter, and lime juice and cook 1 minute more, stirring well to make a smooth sauce. Remove from heat, transfer to a small serving bowl, and set aside to cool. The sauce can be served warm or at room temperature, or cover and refrigerate, reheating gently just before serving time.

Thread meat onto tips of bamboo skewers, and cook on a lightly oiled, hot grill or under a broiler, turning often, until browned and cooked through, 4 to 6 minutes. Serve at once with the peanut sauce and Tangy Cucumber Pickles.

Dan's note: the peanut sauce is very good. Don't need the water, though, I don't think.

Slice the chicken into little chunks. Mix the marinade ingredients and marinate overnight, or at least for a couple hours. Grill the chicken on skewers, or just saute it if you don't have a grill.

To make the peanut sauce: heat the oil, add the cumin, then the onion, garlic, and 1 tsp Sambal Oelek. Cook for 5 minutes, add the peanut butter, cook for a few more minutes, and add the ketchup. Add some milk or water if it's too thick. Add the ginger and mix well.

Serve the chicken with the peanut sauce. You'll probably have a lot of peanut sauce left over. Eat it on just about anything- it's pretty good. Or just make less peanut sauce.

Hard boil eggs for 10 minutes. Heat oil in Wok or frying pan.Fry diced Onion, Garlic, Trassi, Pepper and Galangal slowly for 10 Min.Add Bay leaf, Tamarind, sugar, Coconut milk and œ cup of water and cook for 5 min. Add shrimps and slow cook for a further 5 min. Peel the eggs and heat through in the sauce. Slice eggs in halve lengthwise and arrange on dish.Pour hot sauce over eggs and serve.

Dan's notes: Tasty, but nothing special. Tastes like the sum of its parts.

Peel and halve the potatoes. Slice into thin slices or match-sticks. Wash and dry in a tea-towel. Deep fry until golden brown. Set aside.Finely chop the onions and garlic. Soften in a frying pan or wok, add the sambal ulek, gula djawa, tamarind and kecap manis and fry for a further 3 minutes.Mix in the potatoes and spoon into a serving dish, garnish with the chopped parsly and serve.Notes:

For even quicker results the potatoes can be replaced with ready bought potatoe crisp or match-sticks.The sambal ulek can be replaced with finely sliced chillies, which will have to be fried with the onions & garlic.The palm sugar can be replaced with a dark brown, soft sugar.The tamarind paste can either be extracted from a block of pulp, as discribed in my ingredients page, or you can use it from a jar of ready made paste.

Dan's note: tasty- they're superfried, of course they're tasty! But fried potatoes twice seems unnecessary. Maybe you could skip the first deep-frying, and just saute them with the sauce? Hmm...

1. Blend the onion, garlic, chilies, turmeric and salt to a puree in a food processor or blender. You may have to add a little water.2. Heat the oil in a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high flame. Add the onion puree and sauté till fragrant and excess water is cooked out. Add beef and continue to sauté till meat is lightly browned.3. Add the rest of the ingredients, bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and allow to simmer for 1 1/2 to 3 hours, until beef is very tender and sauce is reduced to a thick gravy. It will be necessary to add a little water now and then if the sauce becomes too dry before the meat is tender.4. Adjust seasoning to taste with salt and sugar and serve with steamed rice or ketupat (rice cakes).

VARIATIONS

* Rendang Kambing: use lamb instead of beef.* Rendang Ayam: use boneless chicken breasts or thighs.* Rendang is typically made fiery hot with chilies. Adjust the amount to your liking.* The onions and garlic can be eliminated. Simply mix all the rest of the ingredients together, skip the sautéing step, and simmer till the meat is tender.* The following ingredients can be added with the onions and garlic if you like: toasted, shredded coconut, 2 tsp cumin, 2 Tbsp coriander.* One or more of the following ingredients can be added with the coconut milk if you like: 3-4 kaffir lime leaves, 3-4 whole cloves, 1 tsp cinnamon, curry leaves, 1-2 Tbsp tamarind paste, 2-3 crushed kemiri (candlenuts), 1-2 slices ginger, 2-3 bay leaves.

NOTES

* Rendang is a "dry" meat curry that originated in the Padang cuisine of west-central Sumatra. It has become popular throughout the Indonesian archipelago as well as in Malaysia and Singapore. This intensely flavorful dish is often served on special occasions. The ingredients used to season it vary widely from region to region. Pick and choose as you like.* The oil will probably separate from the coconut milk and rise to the top of the dish. While rendang is typically served fairly oily, you can skim excess from the top. Some cooks hold back half the coconut milk and stir it in toward the end to minimize oiliness.

Dan's notes: This is great. I added a couple cloves and a bay leaf. When it simmered way down it was really flavorful. It is really oily, though. I skimmed off a bunch of oil and it was still oily.

Moisten the coconut with about 4 tablespoons of hot water. Add all remaining ingredients except cornflour and oil. Mix until ingredients are well blended and smooth.Make mixture into 12 to 16 small balls. Roll through cornflour, shake of any excess and fry in hot oil for about 5 min.Serve hot.

Dan's notes: good, but sort of bland. They just tasted like plain fried meatballs (whatever you imagine that to taste like)

1. Mix flours, baking powder and salt well in a bowl. Beat in coconut milk, water and egg until batter is smooth. Let batter rest from 15 minutes to 1 hour.2. Heat oil in a deep skillet or deep fryer to between 350° and 375°. Using a fork, dip bananas in batter to cover. Let excess drain off and deep fry, turning, until well browned. Drain on paper towels and serve.

VARIATIONS* Substitute coconut milk for half the water if you like.* Use 3/4 cup all-purpose flour and eliminate the rice flour if you like. But the rice flour adds a crispness that will be missing.

NOTES

* The fritters are excellent served with ice cream and drizzled with honey. You can also serve them in a dish with a little coconut cream.

http://whats4eats.com/recipes/r_de_pisanggoreng.html

Dan's notes: I used plantains. They were awesome. Best when they're still a little yellow-green, so they're not soft. I tried it with ripe bananas and they became one icky fried mass. Maybe a little less liquid in the batter.

1. Boil sweet potatoes in water to cover until cooked all the way through, 8-12 minutes.2. Drain sweet potatoes. Mash or put through a ricer. Return potatoes to a heavy-bottomed saucepan and cook over low heat for 5-6 more minutes, stirring constantly, until mass begins to dry out. Remove from heat and allow to cool.3. Beat in remaining ingredients except oil till smooth. Add more flour if batter seems too moist.4. Heat oil in a deep fryer or large skillet to 350 - 360°. Drop large spoonsful of batter into oil. Brown well on both sides, turning occasionally. Remove to a plate lined with paper towels to drain.5. Serve with a sambal or sriracha chile sauce.

NOTES

* The second reheating and cooking of the sweet potatoes is necessary to dry them out somewhat and make sure the batter will not be too moist.

Dan's notes: I didn't turn the batter in the deep fryer, and it stuck to the basket. Hmm. Also, it seemed to need a whole lot more flour than 1/4 cup; it was still pretty soupy at 1/4 cup.

Directions:Beat eggs with salt and pepper to taste. Heat very little oil in a frying pan and make an omelette with half the beaten eggs. Turn out on a plate to cool. (Do not fold omelette.) Repeat process with remaining eggs. When cool, put one omelette on top of the other, roll up and cut into thin strips.Shell and devein prawns, cut beef or pork into fine strips. Chop onions roughly and put in a blender container with garlic and trasi. Cover and blend to a paste. (If blender is not available, finely chop onions and crush garlic. Dissolve trasi in a little hot water. Combine these three ingredients.) Heat 3 tablespoons of oil in a large frying pan or wok and fry the blended ingredients until cooked. Add prawns and meat to pan and fry, stirring constantly, until they are cooked. Add 2 tablespoons more oil and when hot stir in the rice and spring onions, tossing and mixing until very hot. Sprinkle with soy sauce and mix evenly.Serve the fried rice garnished with strips of omelette and cucumber.

Dan's notes: good! 4 cups is a lot of rice. I just made it with chicken; it's probably better with shrimp and pork/beef.

Boil the chicken and after cooling, slice in strips. set aside.Wash and slice all the vegetables. set aside.Heat your wok and add the oil. Slice Onion and ginger, mince garlic and soften in the wok. Add the Sambal and trassi and cook for a further 2 minutes. Add the vegetables, chicken and ketjap manis. Toss until vegetables are soft and just cooked. Follow instructions as below.Cook in hot fat for about 5 minutes, Making sure both sides are browned equally. Serve with peanutsauce or just Kecap manis and sambal.

To make the Loempia's, spread out 2 spring roll sheets as shown on this site.http://www.indochef.com/indo_32.shtml Fold the "A" corners over the filling, followed by the "B" corners. Make sure the filling is packed in tight. Next fold over side 1 and 2. Put side 3 over and spread some beaten egg on top to stick down side 4.

Dan's notes: awesome. These turned out just like restaurant egg rolls. Wow. Serving with "sambal manis" is pretty good. This made about 8 egg rolls.

1. Bruise lemongrass with dull side of cleaver or large kitchen knife, tie it into a knot, and set aside. Crush together shallots, garlic, ginger, turmeric, and candlenuts with a mortar and pestle to a smooth paste and set aside.

2. Heat oil in a wok or medium wide pot over medium heat. Add shallot paste and cook, stirring frequently, for 2-3 minutes. Add coconut milk and chiles and bring to a simmer. Add fish, lime leaves, and lemongrass and cook, gently stirring and occasionally basting fish with sauce, until fish is cooked through, about 15 minutes. Season to taste with salt. Remove and discard lemongrass and lime leaves just before serving. Serve at room temperature, with Steamed White Rice, if you like.First published in Saveur, March 2002

Dan's notes: This is great! And easy! (once you clean the fish...) the chiles are awesome; actually do put 20 chiles in, because once you cook them in the coconut milk and stuff, the flavor is just right, and then when you eat one, it's fiery but not painful.

Directions:Put all the sauce ingredients except the lemon peel in a blender or food processor and puree. Place in a saucepan with the lemon peel and cook over medium-low heat for about 10 minutes, until thickened and darkened. Set aside and keep warm.

Blanch the beans and carrots for 3 minutes, then run under cold water to stop cooking. Blanch the cabbage and sprouts for a few seconds and run under cold water. Arrange the vegetables in layers on a platter- -cabbage, beans, carrots, potatoes, cucumbers and sprouts on top.

Garnish: Scatter the tofu cubes over the sprouts. Garnish with egg and tomato slices around the edges, then pour the sauce over and sprinkle all with the fried onions.

Quarter chicken and put with water on low flame for 1 hour to make stock. Removechicken. Put the crushed shells from the eggs used for the omelet in the stock andstir well, on low flame, for a minute. Pass stock through a muslin cloth to clarify.Wash the rice and boil in the stock for œ hour until done. (must be sticky and thick). Add the soy, garlic, salt, pepper and shredded chicken and simmer for a further 15 Minutes.Decorate with omelet, onions and parsley or coriander. serve hot.

Dan's notes: easy and great! When it says "sticky and thick" it kinda means "soupy, like risotto-style, but almost done". Didn't pass stock through the muslin cloth, it turned out fine.

This recipe has been passed down through generations of the family of Ibu Rohati, a Padang native we met while exploring Indonesia and the ancient Minangkabau culture. Check your local Asian market for Indonesian ingredients.

1. Bruise lemongrass with dull side of cleaver or large kitchen knife, tie it into a knot, and set aside. Dissolve tamarind pulp in 1 cup hot water. Strain through a sieve, pressing pulp through with a rubber spatula. Set liquid aside and discard seeds.

2. Crush together shallots, chiles, garlic, ginger, galangal, turmeric, candlenuts, and coriander seeds with a mortar and pestle to a smooth paste. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

3. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add spice paste and cook, stirring constantly, for 3-5 minutes. Push paste to outer edge of skillet, add chicken, skin side down, and cook until skin begins to brown, about 5 minutes. Turn chicken, then stir in tamarind liquid and lemongrass, and simmer, stirring occasionally, until liquid reduces by one-quarter, about 10 minutes. Add coconut milk and simmer, basting chicken frequently, until it is cooked halfway through, about 10 minutes more. Transfer chicken to a plate and continue simmering sauce until thickened and pastelike, 7-10 minutes.

Dan's notes: tasty! I cooked it with the bone in (except the breasts) and then cut it off the bone and served it as shredded chicken with the sauce. The breasts dried out a little bit, so maybe keeping them on the bone would be a good idea too. Second time I made it (grill and everything) it wasn't so good.

1. Bring first set of ingredients to a boil in a saucepan.2. Place cucumber in a heat-proof jar or bowl. Pour boiling liquid over to cover.3. Cover the container and refrigerate for at least 3-4 hours to allow flavors to meld.

VARIATIONS * Cucumber can be peeled, seeded and sliced into half moons if you like. * Add 2-3 whole cloves for extra flavor.

Wisconsin Chicken BooyahThis dish is famous in the Fox River Valley region - Green Bay, Wisconsin. Booyah and beer go great together. Booyah King, Bob Baye, of Green Bay, Wisconsin, has been making Booyah since about 1946 in 100-gallon cookers.

Put chicken in a deep kettle with the beef and pork. Cover with boiling water. Bring slowly to a simmer, remove scum from the top, and add herbs and seasonings. Simmer very gently, covered, about 1 hour.

Remove chicken and, when cooled, take meat form the bones and cut into pieces. Let beef and pork continue to cook until tender, 45 minutes to an hour more.

Remove and let cool enough to remove meat from bones. Add vegetables to the broth and simmer 5 to 10 minutes.

Grate lemon rind and set aside; remove white pith and seeds from the lemons, chop the pulp, and add to the broth. Taste for seasoning. While vegetables are still crisp, return the meat pieces to the broth to heat through. Serve in large soup bowls and sprinkle with the lemon rind.

Rinse fresh or thawed* turkey in clean sink with cold water. (*Thawing takes at least 2 days in fridge or 1/2 day in sink, running cold water over it. Do not remove turkey wrapper until thawed, and do not thaw in room temp.) Save wrapper for weight of turkey and timing instructions.Take out extra turkey parts- neck (!) in large cavity, and plastic bag of gizzards in the nack cavity. I toss them out- ewww. Some people make soup from the neck, and put the gizzards in the stuffing. I, um, don't.Place drained turkey in large roasting pan.Stuff turkey cavity loosely. Rub butter over turkey breast.Put in oven at 325 according to instructions. A stuffed 12 lb. turkey will take 3 1/2 hours to cook.I check it at 3 hours with an instant meat thermometer. The pop-up timer in the bird usually is a little late, and the bird can dry out. If the bird is golden brown but the internal temp is not 185 yet (taken in the thickest part of the breast or thigh), then put foil over it and keep cooking. Buy yourself a thin little instant thermometer.Any extra stuffing can go into a foil covered dish in the oven for a half hour or more. Mix with the bird stuffing before serving.Making gravy is hard to describe- you may want to buy it till I can show you.I serve turkey with steamed broccoli and cranberry sauce.

Fridays are fish days in our house, especially during Lent. And during Lent the dish I look forward to the most is my dad's shrimp cakes. He uses sweet potatoes instead of regular potatoes and spices them up with jalapeños and cilantro.

Combine cumin, peppercorns, and coriander in a heavy medium skillet. Stir over medium heat until fragrant and toasted, about 8 minutes. Cool slightly. Finely grind toasted spices in blender. Transfer to a small bowl. Mix in sugar and salt. Makes 1/2 cup.

Method:

1 Pierce potatoes all over with a fork. Bake in microwave for about 15 minutes until done. Rub a Tbsp of oil over unpeeled garlic. Cook in microwave a few minutes, until soft. Cool garlic and potatoes slightly. Remove peel from garlic. Remove skins from potatoes. Combine potatoes and garlic in a bowl. Mash until smooth.

To be totally honest, I'm nearly always too lazy to peel carrots. I look for fresh bunches of spring carrots, or the smallest, babiest of spring carrots topped with lively, healthy-looking greens. In addition, peeling these guys strips away much of their barely rustic personality - another reason not to bother. I give them a good, hearty scrub, and they are ready to go. I cut back quite a bit on the ground cumin (feel free to use more!) and loaded up on the add-ins here, more than the original recipe calls for - also threw in some crumbled manouri cheese (totally optional) - feta or goat cheese would also do nicely, each in its own way.

Put cumin seeds in a heavy pan over medium heat and toast until fragrant, approximately five minutes. Grind cumin seeds in a spice grinder and set aside. Alternatively, if you don't have a grinder, use pre-ground cumin.

Pour olive oil in a skillet over high heat and add carrots. Cook 2 - 3 minutes. Lower heat to medium and cook another few minutes until the carrots become just barely tender, and loose much of their crunch and raw flavor. Salt to taste.

Drain carrots in a colander to get rid of excess oil.

Transfer carrots to a mixing bowl and add honey, lemon juice, olives, orange syrup and about half of the cumin. Toss gently. Taste, add more cumin if you like.

Just before serving toss in the cilantro, mint and pine nuts. Add a bit more salt to taste if needed. Serve next to your favorite tiny pasta, grain, or rice. Sardinian fregula is shown in the photo at the begining of the post.

Serves 4 to 6.

Dan's notes: I'd reduce the orange even more. You can make it without pine nuts, it's still good. Would probably be good with some kind of rice or pasta to soak up the extra liquid. Beej called it an "explosion of flavor" and he didn't know if he liked it, but I do.

Using a sharp large heavy knife, cut ends off plantains and slit through peel lengthwise from end to end. Soak in a large bowl filled with 4 cups water and 1 teaspoon salt 5 minutes. (This makes peel easier to remove.) Remove tough outer peel, using a paring knife if necessary, and cut plantains into 1 1/2-inch pieces. Cook, covered, in a 2- to 3-quart saucepan of boiling salted water until tender, about 20 minutes.

Drain plantains in a colander and return to saucepan. Reheat milk mixture and mash plantains with a potato masher, adding hot milk mixture and butter. Sprinkle reserved bacon and onion on top.

Makes 6 side-dish servings.

Dan's note: Make sure you cook the bacon until it is very crisp so that it will crumble. Remove it from the pan, dry it with paper towels, and drain off the fat, then crumble it back into the pan and keep cooking.

Rinse the quinoa in a fine-meshed strainer. In a medium saucepan heat the quinoa and water until boiling. Reduce heat and simmer until water is absorbed and quinoa fluffs up, about 15 minutes. Quinoa is done when you can see the curlique in each grain, and it is tender with a bit of pop to each bite. Drain any extra water and set aside.

While the quinoa is cooking make the dressing. Whisk together the garlic, tahini, lemon zest and juice, and olive oil. Add the hot water to thin a bit and then the salt.

Toss the cooked quinoa, beans, cilantro, red onion, and half of the dressing. Add more dressing if you like and season with more salt to taste. Serve garnished with a bit of cilantro.

Serves 4.

Dan's note: this is good! The onions are maybe a little strong. Maybe that's good though.

Grilled Beets in Rosemary Vinegarhttp://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Grilled-Beets-in-Rosemary-Vinegar/Detail.aspx "Don't know what to do with fresh beets? Marinate and grill them in this wonderful sauce! These go great with grilled meat, and are a colorful and flavorful alternative to your usual veggie fare."

1. In a medium bowl, mix balsamic vinegar, rosemary, garlic, and herbes de Provence. Place beets in the mixture, and marinate at least 20 minutes. 2. Preheat an outdoor grill for high heat, and lightly oil grate. 3. Place the beets and marinade mixture on a piece of foil large enough to wrap all ingredients, and seal tightly. Place the foil packet on the prepared grill, and cook 25 minutes, or until beets are tender. 4. Remove beets from the packet, and place directly on the grill grate for 2 to 5 minutes before serving hot.

Be extremely careful when puréeing hot soup. If time allows, it is safest to cool the soup before puréeing it. (Resting the cooking pan in a larger one filled with ice water is the most efficient way.) To reduce the chance of spattering, pulse the blender on and off a couple of times before leaving it on, and hold the top down.

* 1. Break off bottom part of each asparagus stalk, and discard. Coarsely chop the rest of stalks, leaving 12 or 16 of the flower ends whole. Put butter or oil in a large, deep skillet over medium-high heat. A minute later, add asparagus and tarragon, raise heat to high, and cook, stirring occasionally, until nicely browned, about 10 minutes. Remove whole flower ends; set aside. * 2. Add stock and some salt and pepper; bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer until asparagus is very tender, about 10 minutes. Cool at least a few minutes. * 3. Pour soup into a blender, in batches if necessary, and carefully purée. Return to pan, and, over medium-low heat, reheat gently. When soup is hot, adjust seasoning. Put 3 or 4 asparagus flower ends in each of 4 bowls; ladle in soup, and serve.

Source: The New York Timeshttp://bitten.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/05/12/recipe-of-the-day-pan-roasted-asparagus-soup-with-tarragon/#more-273

Dan's notes: pretty basic, good appetizer soup, I used fennel seeds instead of tarragon, and I guess they didn't hurt, but it'd probably be better if you could actually get tarragon. I mean, it wasn't really that good, it tasted very strongly like asparagus.

Preheat oven to 350. Combine butter and chocolate, stirring until blended, and set aside. Beat eggs until light and frothy, then stir in corn syrup, sugar, vanilla. Add chocolate mixture, stirring. Put everything in the pie crust. Bake 35-40 minutes until the top is crunchy.

Dan's Recipes

Despite the plethora of recipe software out there, the one that does what I want (tagging, text searching, and indefinite web hosting) is actually Blogger. So here I am. This is not a food blog so much as my recipe archive, which you're free to peruse if you like.